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Monster mash-ups
Yo! Man DJ Lance Rock with buddies Muno, Foofa, Plex, Brobee and Toodee.Photo by Ben Clark / Nick JuniorWhen the frontman for cult rock band the Aquabats (whose members don sky-blue unitards and act like renegade superheroes) and the lead singer of electronica group Majestic got together to create a program for Nick Jr., their collaboration resulted in a wildly imaginative half-hour series for three- to five-year-olds. Yo Gabba Gabba!, an amalgam of original tunes and low-tech animation airing on the cable network best known for animals rescuing other animals, evinces an idiosyncratic throwback vibe. “There was a lot more live-action going on in the ’70s than there is now, and we wanted to tip our hats to the series we grew up watching,” says program cocreator Christian Jacobs, “like Sid and Marty Krofft’s stuff, The Electric Company and even Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood.”
Though the musicians had spent years developing children’s programming at Fox, Jacobs and partner Scott Schultz found that their interest in creating a show for preschoolers soared when they became dads themselves. The show’s gibberish title came about when “we looked into the first sounds that babies make,” Jacobs recalls. “Gabba gabba is hooky; it’s kind of like abracadabra.”
The series’ cast of creatures—which includes shaggy life-size monster puppets and a boxy robot—enact loopy musical skits about eating your veggies, sharing and not biting other kids. The producers liken the creative process for YGG! segments to an ongoing jam session. “Christian and I showed up with ideas, our musician friends came with beats, and we hashed them out,” says Schultz. The collaborations yielded more than 100 songs—including the especially catchy “Party in My Tummy”—that cross genres ranging from reggae to new wave.
Leading little viewers through this musical landscape is host DJ Lance Rock (real name: Lance Robertson). While deejaying at a radio station, Robertson came across a track by Schultz’s band, Majestic. He liked the song so much that he contacted Schultz, and they eventually played a few shows together. When Schultz and Jacobs began their search for a host, they immediately thought of Robertson. “I don’t have kids or watch kids’ shows,” admits the DJ. “But I keep it playful, and the children watching at home seem to like me.”
Adults tuning in with their little ones will get their own kicks from the guests, musical and otherwise, who frequent Yo Gabba Gabba!’s set. Visitors include hip-hop legend Biz Markie, actor Elijah Wood (who, in an inspired performance, teaches kids to dance like a puppetmaster), skateboard legend Tony Hawk and alt-indie darlings the Shins. Even the cocreators are surprised by the A-list guests who have signed on for the first season. “Anyone who agrees to be on the show wants to be a kid again,” says Jacobs. “We see the light in their eyes when they come on set.”
Yo Gabba Gabba! premiered on Aug 20. Check local listings for showtimes.
Time Out New York Kids / Issue 23 : Sep 1–30, 2007
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We love this show. My children have learned so much watching this program. We dance and sing these songs. What a wonderful flashback to kiddie tv I grew up on. YGG Rocks Oretha
I've had to use "don't bite your friends" on my 1 1/2 year old son and "there's a party in your tummy" on my 3 year old daughter. LOVE the show! My kids LOVE the show and my wife and I can't get the songs out of our heads. LOL Crazy. My kids have the little toys and get glued to the TV when they see DJ Lance. silly and cool
This show is so amazingly awesome, the songs and the characters are great. I want to see more Gooble. I REALLY WANT A TOUR. DJ Lance is awesome, I was searching for his bio, but couldn't find one. FYI the NICK Jr site has super kid friendly YGG crafts, my kid and I love doing them. LIVE SHOW IN HOUSTON...PLEASE!!!
we all love it, my 1.5 year old daughter, & my wife & i, dj lance is cool, the songs fantastic, the retro electro. we are in new zealand, brilliant show!
Awesome show, my 1 year old is hooked and my husband and I sing the songs all day, we all just love DJ Lance Rock.
WORST SHOW EVER !!!!!! Though my 2 & half year old would totally disagree with me. He absolutely loves it.
My two year old loves YO GABBA GABBA! He watches it when it's on. Dancy Dance time is his favorite! He loves dancing around and imitating the actions on the screen. He is a fan. And with some of my favorite bands like The Acrobats, Jimmy Eat World, Supernova, Shiny toy guns and the Shins making appearnces, its hard for me not to be a fan as well! Good job guys, Good Job!!
my kids (3 years & 21 months) LOVE YGG! Some people think it's a strange show for them to watch, but it does have great themes; I've even caught my 21 month old telling my 3 year old, "keep trying, don't give up" due to the song from Yo Gabba Gabba!
My two daughters LOVE this show. They usually dance along, or sing along to the songs (which are just plain good, unlike some others. I'm looking at you Dora), and are not screaming at the television (again, I'm looking at you Dora). It is also tolerable for adults. The voice acting isn't as grating as some other shows, and like I said before, some of the songs are just plain fantastic. I've caught myself singing "I'm so sorry" on more than one occasion. LOL.
YGG brings kids programming back to the 70's where it was it's at it's best. The classic sound effects, amazingly catchy songs, and psychodelic colors and shapes have my son in a trance when the show comes on. Lance Robertson is a great host and the monster cast is so off the wall you just have to appreciate it. I am certainly a fan and can't wait until Noggin starts running YGG more than once a day.
We love dancey dance time!! My 4 yr old and 10 month old love to imitate it, its really silly
my 2 1/2 year old daughter loves the show so much that she pretty much will only watch ygg over all the shows on our tivo. she calls the show robot because she really digs plex the robot. it's gotten her to do things she wasn't interested in before like brushing her teath. when i try to get her to eat (always a chore), she says "try it you like it" just like the show & laughs. my wife is away and last night we watched like six episodes in a row. don't know what we'd do without it. teletubbies???
The other day while my daughter was watching this show, I noticed a familiar sound coming from the TV, the Aquabats! That is when I decided to sit and watch the show with her- it is awesome! No wonder why she keeps asking for it! The music is amazing, my husband and I both find ourselves watching with her, and singing "there's a party in my tummy". DJ Lance is awesome, the music is ingenious, and the characters are simple, yet engaging! I only hope they will have costumes in time for halloween!
can't stop singing the "snacky-snack" song....
can
I love yo gabba gabba, dj lance rock is an awsome dj i just love them funky beats, im 26 and i dont have any kids but just wanted to say i hope dj lance rock make it big from this!
My two sons (5 and 2) LOVE this show. Well, maybe I do too. The songs and topics are great. I find myself humming the songs long after it's over (Think Happy Thoughts). Good stuff!
Yo Gabba Gabba is the best show I have found that my son who is almost 2 will sit and watch he loves the songs and the beats that they play.